Just a Moment
by BrownB
Summary: This started as a short story, but I think it's going to turn into more of a bunch of short stories. Hope you enjoy :)
1. Mamoru Thoughts

AN: So, the idea for this *very* short little story came from a song by Three Doors Down called "So I need you". Every time I hear this song it reminds me of this scene from the manga where Tuxedo Kamen takes Sailor Moon back to his apartment and reveals his idenity to her. And as I read the manga, it occured to me there had to be more. There had to be a space of time between when he brought her in and she actually woke up. What was he doing, thinking, etc. during this time? And so this is my little short on it.

If you are not a manga fan, or at least a Sailor Moon Crystal fan, I highly suggest you take a moment to read it. You can find it on sailormoon dot xyz (fill in the dot and take out the space, bam! all the manga and Sailor Moon Crystal episodes.) I am a HUGE manga fan, so all of my stories follow that storyline. The romance between Usagi and Mamoru is much better, much deeper, more awesome than the first anime could have ever dreamed up. I accept all flames for this, I can't help my opinions, though :)

I hope you enjoy. And if you do, please review. I have a lot of little ideas like this so I will probably add more to this as time goes.

 **Just a Moment...  
Part 1  
By: Bethany**

Dark ebony hair fell into his eyes, the only sound was that of long slender fingers drumming on the counter top. Chiba Mamoru glared into the cooling cup of coffee in front of him and let out a long sigh.

Ocean blue eyes glanced at the closed door to his bedroom. How long would she sleep? Was she ok? What happened? He closed his eyes, remembering how she had collapsed after using her power. Mamoru, no, Tuxedo Kamen, had barely caught her before she hit the ground. Picking her up, sweeping off with her. All he could think of was how beautiful she looked. Her face was flushed, her breathing even as he scooped her up in his arms. Even in her sleep, she had snuggled closer to him as he made his way back to his apartment and his heart had skipped a beat.

He hadn't wanted to leave her alone, but had resisted the urge to sit near her. Surely she would be confused enough without waking up to his face. So now he sat in his kitchen while she lie in his bed, a closed door between them that felt much too far in Mamoru's mind.

This whole situation was getting out of hand. Mamoru knew he needed to focus on finding the Silver Crystal. He knew the girl (a Princess, he believed) in his dreams night after night, needed him. He wanted to help her, he wanted his memories... his eyes darted back to the closed door. But he couldn't help the intense urge to be near Sailor Moon.

Tsukino Usagi. Sailor Moon. The Princess in his dreams, with long flowing hair, calling to him nightly. The first two were one in the same. He swallowed loudly. How wonderful if all three could be the same. That, to Mamoru, would be the perfect answer to this entire situation. Right now he very much feared that if the Princess was a different person entirely he would have a very big problem on his hands. He was fairly certain he was falling for the girl in his room.

He shook his head. What did he know of love? How could he know he was falling for anyone, having lived his entire seventeen years without knowing love at all? All he had was the reoccuring dreams of a girl calling out to him, begging him to find the Silver Crystal. Promising him it would return memories to him that he longed to have. He didn't even know if she, the girl in his dreams, wanted him beyound this task. At one time, if asked, he would say he loved this girl in his dreams. But then he was hit on the head with a crumpled test papers and everything changed...

Try as he might, Mamoru couldn't keep his mind off the golden haired, blue eye beauty that seem to think he needed a paper to the head occassionally. When he saw her on the bus, noticed there was no way Sailor Moon and Usagi could NOT be one in the same, he felt his heart do a flip flop. He had been so attracted to both, and it was no wonder; they were the same. His dreams at night were haunted by the mysterious Princess, by day his mind was full of Usagi. He couldn't afford this distraction.

He couldn't afford NOT to be distracted. The feelings Usagi rose up in him were nothing like anything he could ever remember feeling. Pouring himself another cup of coffee, he smiled to himself as he thought about the Princess ball. She had been... beautiful, breathtaking... and holding her in his arms, hearing her say she had wanted to see him. His heart constricted painfully in his chest. He couldn't say that the thoughts of the Princess in his dreams ever made him feel this way. So lightheaded, so happy and scared silly all at once. He couldn't help himself when he kissed her, it had felt as natural as breathing.

Mamoru shook his head. He had a mission. He had memories to restore, things he must do... feeling his stomach flutter like it was full of butterflies, he went to the bedroom door and creaked it open. Usagi was sitting up on his bed, her head in her hands. He wanted to stay there, watch her for a moment, but she had noticed him already.

"I see you've finally woken up?"

* * *

I hope you enjoy this little moment in our favorite Prince of Earth's head :) r&r please!

Love, hugs and japanese food!  
Beth


	2. Help Wanted: Apply Within

AN: Another little short story. I'm thinking this will just be a bunch of little short stories, because I have tons of ideas that really don't work out to be enough for an actually long story (or even a one shot deal). So this actually was an idea that Antigone had on tumblr, talking about how in the R arc Mamoru was working at a TV station that we never saw him at again. I imagined just filling out an application at this point in life would be difficult for him, so I ran with that thought.

 **Help Wanted: Apply Within ... unless you are Tuxedo Kamen  
By: Bethany**

Chiba Mamoru was intensely aware of how long it was taking him to fill out this application. He rubbed his eyes and tapped the pen tip on the table lightly. It wasn't that the questionnaire was difficult, per say. It was just a job application, for crying out loud. Easy enough. Name, address, birth date. No problem. Job history. Well, now that was another subject all together.

It wasn't that Mamoru had no history of working. No, the problem lay mostly with how _many_ jobs he had worked. He blew ebony bangs from his eyes in a quiet huff. His mind played back over his last position and he cringed. He was working at the television studio. It wasn't the best paying, but Mamoru wasn't really in it for the money. He had money. But he wasn't a fool, the trust fund his parents left him wasn't going to last forever. So adding to it wouldn't hurt anyone.

Easier said than done.

The job had been going well, actually. He made it to work three days in a row and even managed to work the entire shift. And then the fourth day it happened; the feeling in his gut that Sailor Moon was transforming. Mamoru had learned the hard way not to ignore these urges. But just exactly how long can a person be in the restroom before someone started asking questions? Even in the most dire circumstances, _no one_ should take a "bathroom break" that long!

Mamoru shook his head slightly. Restroom breaks, family emergencies, he was pretty sure he had over used his apartment being broken into, flooded and catching fire. Really, someone had to think he was a walking disaster already. Even the worst people didn't have that bad of luck...

His eyes zoomed in on the application again; Is there any reason you feel like you would or would not be qualified for this position?

What was he even applying for this time? Mamoru tapped the pen again. Well, there was the small subject that the super hero running around town saving people from energy zapping youmas also pulled him along for the ride. No matter the time of day. Couldn't necessarily write _that_ down, though. He put the pen to the paper; _Hard worker_. There. That wasn't a lie.

Mamoru thought about the job before the TV studio; the coffee shop. That had been a disaster. Apparently his employee charges of coffee were more than his actual pay check. Wasn't his fault he had been awake either with dreams of a Princess calling him or at battles with Sailor Moon. Had to stay awake some how. Then there was also the department store; that one only lasted four hours. When he was pulled to go help Sailor Moon and took a lunch break, only to come back bruised up, he had been asked to leave. His boss was convinced he had been in a bar brawl during his lunch break…

Mamoru finished with the application, looking at it with a forlorn expression. No time like the present. He walked across the café and handed the paper to Motoki. Things were desperate when you had to start filling out job applications at the places you usually just visit.

The blonde haired man took the paper, and the two papers attached to it with work history, and his eyes grew wider. Mamoru pretended not to notice and smiled with what he hoped was a winning smile.

"Um," Motoki read over the extensive list of work histories. Mamoru could tell he was looking at the dates in particular. "Well, I see you have some experience." The blonde man scratched the back of his neck. "A lot."

"Yeah." Mamoru really didn't know what to say to that.

"Do you-" Motoki swallowed. "Is there- well. Hmm."

Mamoru put the pen down on the counter slowly. Motoki never took his eyes off the paper. At this point Mamoru wished he had just lied on the application. Maybe honestly really wasn't the best policy. Ever.

Finally Motoki stacked the papers up, tapped them against the counter and smiled the best he could at Mamoru. "So, I have some other applications to look over."

"Ok."

Looking even more uncomfortable, Motoki smiled. "We'll call you."

Mamoru gave a small smile. Just as he was about to thank Motoki for his time, he could feel Sailor Moon's call for him. He gave a strangled grunt instead that made Motoki actually jump a little. "Thank you," he said tight lipped and turned heel to walk out.

Oh well, who needed a job anyway?

* * *

Love, hugs and reviews! :) ~Beth


	3. Interstellar Discussions

This little short is just an idea that came about while reading another fanfiction (basically what I do when I'm not writing fanfiction...) It's by Meara and is called "Full Circle" it's a 3 "book" story. I don't think she has book 3 done, which saddens me, but regardless still worth the read if you can get past the fact that it's not finished. Anyway; it occurred to me that Mamoru, as the King of Earth, has probably loosened up a bit and maybe isn't as straight forward at all times as he might have been otherwise.

I hope you enjoy. :)

* * *

Just a Moment  
By: Bethany

 **Interstellar Discussions**

"It is not just the threat of other solar systems that concern us, you see. With the recent uprising on Kelp we feel it's safe to assume…"

The King of Earth kept his face a cool composure of interest. This was the fourth meeting this week. While he realized the importance of keeping up good interstellar relationships the meetings were boring. Each planet that came to talk to them, stayed while they discussed the pros and cons of the proposal, and came back to go over the details of the agreement was wearing on Endymion. He had barely saw anyone outside this room, it seemed. And when he did there was tons of other stuff that demanded his attention.

None of them was what he _wanted_ to be spending time on. The Silver Millennium had plans to have completely peaceful relations with all planets, so surely they could skip these long meetings. It would save so much time. None the less, every day here they sat.

His fingers lightly tapped against the long cherry table until suddenly a small hand moved over them. His eyes darted to the hand, followed the slender wrist and arm up until landing on his wife's beautiful profile. Neo-Queen Serenity wasn't looking at him. But he could see the smallest movement of her head. Without a thought the King laced his fingers through hers, effectively causing her face to flush a light pink. He wanted to chuckle, but he guessed it would attract some unwanted attention, so instead he kept his eyes straight ahead.

"…and further more our battalion is nearly a ten thousand legion only. With the added resources of our…"

Endymion tried to keep his mind focused. He really did. But just as he was successfully focused on the man in front of him again, Serenity started rubbing her thumb across the base of his. Endymion nearly groaned. His eyes darted over to her again and noted the ever so small lift of her lips.

All they ever did was sleep and work these days. Endymion wanted to throw them all out and have Serenity to himself for one afternoon. He tightened his fingers, squeezing her hand. Under the table her small foot touched his leg. Endymion was working hard on the plan to throw everyone out when he felt someone watching him.

On the other side of Serenity he could see Sailor Venus' exasperated sigh that she successfully passed as throat clearing. Apparently they weren't as sly as he had thought. The Senshi of Venus reached for her water, casting a dark look his way as she drank. Endymion's eyes swung back to the man in front of them reluctantly.

Finally the long winded fellow came to a merciful end. The king wanted to clap his praise that it was done. Neo-Queen Serenity smiled brilliantly at the captain in front of her. Endymion could see how dazzled he was, his eyes drinking her in for just a second too long. Endymion cleared his throat. "We appreciate your time, Sir. My wife," these words might have came out slightly more forceful than necessary, hopefully only to those who knew him, "and I will adjourn to discuss this matter and we will recommence here at approximately nineteen hundred hours."

The Captain and Representative from the S'yre thanked them and bowed before leaving the room. Endymion tried to catch his wife's eye as they stood, but she was studiously ignoring him. He waited while she finished speaking to Venus and Mars, trying to hide his impatience. Finally the Senshi left the room, closing the door behind them.

Serenity waited until the door clasped before turning around, her face carefully neutral. "Very interesting, don't you agree?"

"Sure," Endymion shrugged, as casual as her. "It sounds like we have much to discuss."

"Do we?" Serenity asked, moving closer to her husband and putting her left hand on his shoulder. Her other hand slipped inside his coat jacket and he gulped. The smile that lit up her features made Endymion's heart beat faster. "Are we staying here to discuss?"

With the speed of a jackal after its prey, the King of Earth lifted his wife up onto the cherry table. Serenity let out a yelp of surprise. White dress and silver hair surrounded them. Endymion wrapped his arms tightly around Serenity's waist, nuzzling her neck and inhaling her scent. "I want to discuss a lot of things with you," he whispered in her ear, his breath breezing across her skin and making her shiver. "Here. Possibly a few other places…"

Serenity giggled, leaning her head back so he had better access to her throat. "I agree that discussions need to take place." Her voice drifted out, her hands around his neck and in his hair. He nipped her delicate skin lightly with his teeth and she gasped. "Immediately."

"Ahem."

With far more grace than she had as a teenager Serenity scrambled off the table. Endymion chuckled at her blush. She turned and let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, MinaP, you scared me."

"Obviously," Minako replied. "I'm sorry to, eh, interrupt, but I wanted to let you know that the representative from Nawre' is scheduled to be here tomorrow morning." Endymion's hands could barely be seen rubbing up Serenity's back and she was trying her best to act like nothing was happening. "I just received transmission… oh, never mind." Venus tried not to look exasperated. "Go back to what you were doing."

Serenity grabbed Endymion's hand and they rushed past the Senshi of Love like a couple of love struck teenagers.

Rolling her eyes, Minako exited the meeting room and walked back to the main hall where Mars, Jupiter and Mercury waited. "Where are they?" Mars asked. There was an echo of giggling, followed by a deep chuckle that ended with the slam of a door down the hall opposite them. Mars glanced back to the group. "The Queen and King?"

"Take a guess," Venus replied.

* * *

If you liked, please review. If you didn't like, please review (constructive only, I'm not into rudeness at my age!). If you have a story idea you'd like to see, please share! I'm all about challenges!

Ja!  
Beth


	4. Fake Fights

AN: I've been on tumblr. A lot, btw. And the discussion was brought up about drunk Mamoru. Now, I know I've wrote some drunk Mamoru before. But I had been thinking about doing a little piece about newly wed stupid fights (if you've been or are married, you know what I'm talking about!) and so it just seemed like I should intertwine some good ole' drunk Mamoru into that, as well. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Just a Moment  
** **Part 4 - Fake Fights**

"I think it had something to do with my socks."

The bar lights were jumping around the room, making the tall glasses in front of them flash eerily. Motoki peeked a look at his friend's face as he sipped from his bottle of beer. The dark haired man beside him had his chin propped on his right hand, his left hand twisting an empty peanut shell on the counter. Seven empty shot glasses sat in front of him, a testimony to just how bad of a day it had been.

Motoki cradled the bottle of beer between his hands and stared at it intently. "Socks?"

Mamoru nodded. His chin slipped off his hand and he nearly fell off the stool while trying to over compensate for the movement. He motioned for the bar tender to fill his glass again. "I'm pretty sure."

"But, I mean, why?"

Mamoru glared at Motoki for a moment, knocked back another shot. "If I knew do you think I'd be here?"

"Probably," Motoki mumbled. He started to peel the label off his beer bottle.

Usagi and Mamoru had been married for just over six months. Motoki had watched them almost enviously, they seemed to get a long so well, the perfect couple. His own marriage was way past the new so-in-love-the-world-is-roses stage. So it was with more than a little shock that Motoki had walked into his favorite Friday night haunt to find Mamoru sitting at the bar with no company except alcohol.

Mamoru threw a glare to his friend and started maliciously grinding the peanut shell into the counter. "It's not like I do it on purpose, I just don't think. Do _you_ think to make sure your socks are perfectly flat when you take them off? I'm tired when I come in; I just kick them off and put them in the laundry. At least I put them in the laundry!" he cried with more emotion, smacking his fist down. "I don't leave them lying around the house!"

Motoki was taken aback by the outburst. He moved the now eight empty shot glasses away from Mamoru's reach incase he decided to slap anything else. "I don't know that I've really paid attention," Motoki mumbled in reply.

"Then she started ranting about how I load the dishwasher." Mamoru cringed a little and put his head in his hands.

"What did you say?" Motoki was afraid to ask.

Black hair fell over Mamoru's face and he blew them back in exasperation. "I don't know, something about the left overs in the fridge and the tooth paste in the sink."

It was all coming together for Motoki now. He shook his head sadly and Mamoru threw him a nasty look. As his friend, Motoki figured he still had to say what was on his mind. "Mamoru-kun, that probably wasn't the best move."

"You think?"

The blonde nodded, ignoring the sarcasm. Mamoru nodded for his glass to be filled again but Motoki put his hand over it. "That's enough. It's just a silly fight, no reason to get smashed and give her something else to be angry about."

Mamoru glared at him and then his face fell. "I didn't want to be one of those couples that fight." He readjusted himself, ran his hand through his hair.

Motoki laughed. "Repeat after me; 'I'm sorry dear. It won't happen again.' "

The glare was definitely getting worse. Mamoru even turned on his stool so he could fully nail his friend with two blood shot blue eyes. "It's not like that," he insisted. "I don't _care_ that Usako leaves tooth paste in the sink or doesn't throw out the left overs. I don't care that she leaves hair ties lying everywhere or—"

Motoki slapped his friend on the shoulder. "I know. And I think, if you were to talk to her about it, Usagi doesn't care about your socks as much as maybe she is over whelmed? Mamoru, you are both young and newly weds. She probably still has this fantasy that everything will be perfect. When the first few months or year or so of lovely gooey stuff wears off and real life kicks in you will start seeing some things that bother you." Motoki lifted his bottle and finished it off. "Just wait until you get into a real fight."

Mamoru's expression was nearly comical. "This isn't a real fight?"

Motoki gently sat his bottle down. A chuckle escaped him. "No. No, this is nothing. The real knock out, drag out fights about money and family time, when she doesn't speak to you for days on end… those are more worthy of shots, my friend."

"I don't want to do that. Or this." Mamoru shoved the glasses away and heaved a huge sigh. "I don't want to fight with her ever again! I love her too much to fight with her over stupid things!" The Prince of Earth got to his feet and with as much grace as a blind chipmunk slid against the stool, tripping over his own feet.

"Whoa, there, big guy." Motoki jumped off his stool, grabbing Mamoru and bringing him up right again. "Slow and steady. Let the blood get back to your feet before you try to walk."

It was a slow walk through the bar, but at least by the time they made it outside Mamoru had rediscovered his coordination. The cool air filled his lungs and burned his eyes. Motoki signaled for a cab and helped Mamoru in the back seat. He slid in beside him and gave the driver Mamoru's address.

By the time they arrived Mamoru was feeling nauseous. He didn't exactly need the help, but Motoki wouldn't consider him self a good friend if he didn't make sure Mamoru got inside. As the elevator climbed to the sixth floor, Mamoru let out a moan and closed his eyes. Motoki walked him down the hall. "You have your key?"

Mamoru patted all his pockets, coming up empty handed. Motoki shook his head and pressed the buzzer. The door opened almost immediately. Usagi paused, one hand covering her mouth. "Mamo-chan!" she cried. Without any warning she launched herself at Mamoru before anyone could warn her not to.

Both Usagi and Mamoru fell to the floor in a heap, Mamoru miraculously managing to keep his head off the ground and Usagi from hitting anything. The blonde girl was crying so hard she was shaking. "I'm so sorry Mamo-chan! Please don't leave again! I-"

Mamoru sat up, looking queasy and dizzy, but still managed to wrap his arms tightly around the girl in his arms. Motoki couldn't help but smile at the look of relief on both his friend's faces. "I'm sorry Usako," Mamoru mumbled in her hair. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair. "I didn't mean anything I said."

She giggled, pulling back and slapping his arm lightly. "Yes, you did. But I don't care. I never want to—Mamo-chan? What's wrong?"

Mamoru was pushing her off his lap hurriedly. Motoki recognized the warning signs and helped Usagi to stand. "Um, Usagi-chan, do you have a trash can? A bag? A bowl?"

Still confused, Usagi darted into the apartment and returned a second later with the kitchen trash can. Motoki shoved it at Mamoru just as he vomited up everything he had drank, apparently most of anything he had ate today, and then some. When he finished he leaned his head back against the hallway wall and moaned. Usagi knelt in front of him, her small hands pushing his bangs back. "Mamo-chan?"

"I'm sorry Usako," he groaned.

Usagi's worried blue eyes took on a look of understanding as she caught a whiff of the garbage can's newest contents. She frowned, her eye brows furrowed. "He was drinking?"

Motoki looked ashamed, not that he had had anything to do with it. "Yeah. I found him at the bar near the arcade. In his defense, he was pretty torn up about the fight you two had."

Usagi flushed. She felt his forehead, her hands tracing down his face and to his cheeks. "Poor thing," she mumbled, tears in her eyes. "Motoki-kun, help me get him inside?"

Together they managed to haul Mamoru to his feet and inside. Motoki carried the blunt of his friend's weight (there was no way he expected Usagi to hold him up) and they finally got him laid out on the bed. Mamoru pulled a pillow over his face and moaned again.

Usagi went to work taking his shoes and socks off while Motoki went to find a bowl in the kitchen. He returned just as Mamoru started vomiting again and Usagi shoved the bowl under his chin. When he finished she went to the bathroom, returning with a wet cloth that she wiped his forehead and chin with lovingly.

Motoki smiled. "Reika just leaves me passed out in the bathroom."

Usagi bristled a little and pulled the blanket up over Mamoru, saying nothing. The tight set of her mouth indicated that she didn't think she would ever do that. Motoki chuckled to himself. "I deserve it," he admitted.

Still keeping her silence, Usagi climbed up on the bed with a fresh cloth and folded it, placing it gently on Mamoru's forehead. She smiled at Motoki. "Thank you for your help. I think I've got it from here."

Motoki bowed a little. "Anytime, Usagi-chan. If you need anything, you have my number."

"Hai," Usagi smiled gratefully. "Thank you again."

The front door had barely shut when Mamoru moaned again, peeking his eyes open. "Usako?"

"I'm here. It's ok, just try to rest."

"Usako, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to drink so much. I didn't mean what I said."

Usagi's cool hand stroked his hair back. "It doesn't matter, Mamo-chan. I—" she bit her lip, eyes tearing up again. "When you left I—" a tear slipped down her face, "I don't ever want to see you walk out the door mad. I was so worried."

Mamoru's eyes opened, the intense gaze rimmed with blood shot, watery eyes. He hiccupped, a tear falling down his face. "I could live a thousand years and never deserve you, never be good enough to have you."

Usagi let out a sound half way between a sob and a giggle. She lay down beside him, tucking herself against his side. "Baka-Mamo-chan, _I_ don't deserve _you._ "

"Drunk and all?" He shifted, putting his arm around her and pulling her small warm body against his side. His head was pounding, his stomach turning, his mouth felt like sandpaper and all he could think was how happy he felt.

Usagi kissed his jaw. "Drunk and all."

 **Fin! -'-,-**

Hope you enjoyed!


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